In a new series of ex-player feature interviews, hullfc.com caught up with former Black & White back-rower Sean Ryan to discuss his time at the club during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
After spending a decade with boyhood club Cronulla Sharks, Ryan was one of several new signings for the Black & Whites alongside the likes of Craig Greenhill and Scott Logan going into the club’s final year at the Boulevard in 2002.
An accomplished back-rower, he had the dream start to life at the club scoring a brace on his home debut against Leeds. In a promising forward pack, Ryan was a fans favourite in his time at the club, which also saw him feature in the first season at the new KCOM Stadium.
Speaking to hullfccom, Ryan started by discussing his early playing days and his time at Cronulla Sharks throughout the 1990s.
“I was pretty fortunate that I grew up with a few guys that I played with right from being a junior, through school and to U16s. A lot of those guys who I played footy with on a weekend, we ended up playing in various representative teams from Cronulla at the younger ages.
“I was a big Sharks fan too and it was always a dream to play for them at a professional level. I got the chance to play for the club I supported as a kid from 1992 to 2001. Arthur Beetson was one of my first coaches down there so I was pretty young but he was great for my development, and then I had John Lang for nine years. They’re both great coaches and they got the best out of a strong group of local juniors who had come through the system.
“Similarly to Hull, the Sharks were a side that had a strong core of local players. We had a really strong roster – even to this day, the club tries to put on an ‘old boys’ day once a year so it’s great to catch up every once in a while. I have nothing but fond memories of my time there.”
Ryan detailed his decision to make the move to the UK after a decade with the Sharks, saying an Australian schoolboys tour earlier in his career had helped him make the choice to move to Hull.
“When I was at school, I tried out for the school team and made the Australian Schoolboys tour over in England for a month. I was 18 years old and I had the best time – it was a special experience. It was winter time so it was very different for me, but we played Great Britain a few times in some test matches, as well as a few different schools.
“I had a good relationship with Shane Richardshon when he was at Cronulla, and when he was over in the UK, he asked if I’d be interested in coming over. My wife and I had a meeting with him and he couldn’t speak highly enough of the club, the city and the fans.
“A two-year deal meant I could experience both the Boulevard and the new stadium. After a decade at Cronulla, I thought it was time for a change and a challenge, and for me after the experience I had on that schools tour, playing in England professionally was a dream come true so I couldn’t turn it down.”
And Ryan’s first impression of the city was similar to that of most overseas players who make the move to the club from Down Under.
“The people in Hull are so friendly. We got picked up by some guys from the club from the airport and they couldn’t have been more helpful in us settling in. I had only been in the country a week and then we had to fly off to a training camp in Lanzerotte, but the club were great at looking after my wife and my daughter while I was away.
“The people of Hull just have an unreal love for the game of Rugby League, and their knowledge of the sport is outstanding. They live it and breathe it. It’s hard to explain the passion over in the UK.”
Ryan also had the pleasure of spending his first year at the club playing at the Boulevard, in what would be its final season as the home of Hull FC.
“I’m glad I was playing at home there! I always remember my good friend Gavin Clinch who played for Wigan and Halifax saying to me “You’re joining Hull FC? Wait until you see your ground!” He was right – as an away player it was a horrible place to go, but as a home player you could really feel the advantage. When you get 8,000 there, it sounds like double. The Threepenny Stand and the timber seating and everything – I love that old school feel. There aren’t enough grounds like that any more. I was fortunate to play my first year there.
“I’ll always remember that final game against New Zealand – it was a special night. I always remember we were actually winning at half-time after Graham Mackay slotted over one of the longest field-goals I have ever seen. We had some of the local juniors playing too which would have been a great experience for them. There was such a buzz around the ground that night and it was a fitting farewell for the ground, especially against the Kiwis.
“I was very fortunate that I got to play in both the old and the new. I probably prefered the old due to the history and how close the supporters were, but don’t get me wrong, the new stadium was superb. The dressing rooms were immaculate with plenty of room, and the playing surface was superb. And the new fans loved it too – it’s something to be proud of even to this day.”
The back-rower spoke of some of the talent he played alongside during his time at the club, and believes the squad was strong enough to win trophies.
“I was looking at some of the names in that squad we had in 2003 the other day. We had some great Hull born players in the likes of Paul Cooke, Kirk Yeaman, Paul King, Richard Horne, Chris Chester, Lee Jackson, and then some of the overseas stars like Craig Greenhill, Scott Logan, Colin Best, Jason Smith, Richie Barnett, Adam Maher, – it was a superb squad. We just picked up a few crucial injuries and it was just a shame we never won anything.
“I knew those Hull boys were talented, and that showed as some of them went on to play for England and Great Britain. Kirk Yeaman was so strong for his age, and only a teenager at the time and he was already a great player. Then Cookie and Horney were just class players and always dangerous with the ball in their hands.”
Ryan also reflected on former teammate Adam Maher who sadly passed away earlier this year following his battle with Motor Neurone Disease, adding: “Adam was a superb bloke. I was fortunate enough to have played with him at Cronulla too so I already knew him. He was one of them blokes who always had a smile on his face, a bit of a joker and you’d always love to have a beer with him. He was a superb hole runner and tough as nails in defence, playing well above his size. It was great to play with him in the second-row at Hull. I can’t say enough about him and he’ll be missed greatly.”
STORY SPONSOR
